Pineapple Plant Named &#39;Dole-14&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new pineapple ( Ananas comosus ) variety of the Bromeliaceae family was developed from a cross made by Dole between the commercial variety ‘MG-03’ and ‘P-1972’, a patented clone, and has been designated ‘Dole-14’. This new variety differs from its progenitors in having higher carotenoid content, medium acidity, low fiber content, improved aroma, distinct fruit flavor and flesh colors, and a conical to cylinder shaped fruit with a long conical crown. It also shows high tolerance to NDF and less susceptibility to shell cracking. The plant is characterized by long spineless leaves with piping, that are pale to grayish green in color. When unripe, fruit shell is pale green turning to uniform yellow color when ripe, and the flesh develops a deep golden color at maturity.

LATIN NAME

Ananas comosus

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘DOLE-14’

The invention refers to a new plant variety of pineapple (Ananascomosus) family Bromeliaceae, subclass of Monocotyledons, and named‘Dole-14’. The fruit has a distinctly unique aroma and exquisite sweetflavor, higher carotenoid content which gives a deep golden color to thepulp, which also has both medium acidity and lower fiber content,compared to its progenitors. This new variety is tolerant to naturaloccurrence of flowering (NDF).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pineapple is a popular fruit worldwide. There is a continued need forimproved varieties, particularly those varieties with a highercarotenoid content and increased sweetness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new pineapple (Ananas comosus) variety, ‘Dole-14’, differs from itsparents in having higher carotenoid content reflected in a deeper goldenyellow flesh, improved aroma, distinct sweet flavor, lower fiber contentof the pulp, and a conical to cylinder shaped fruit with a conicalcrown. It also shows higher tolerance to both NDF and shell crackingwhen compared to its female and male parent respectively. The plant ischaracterized by long, spineless leaves with piping that are pale tograyish green in color. Fruit shell is thin and the flesh has mediumacidity as compared to its progenitors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs depict the new variety ‘Dole-14’ and itsprogenitors: ‘Mayan Gold-03’ and ‘P-1972’.

FIG. 1A shows fruit of the female parent ‘Mayan Gold-03’.

FIG. 1B shows fruit of ‘Dole-14’.

FIG. 1C shows fruit of the male parent ‘P-1972’.

FIG. 2A shows fruit pulp of female parent ‘Mayan Gold-03’.

FIG. 2B shows fruit pulp of ‘Dole-14’.

FIG. 2C shows fruit pulp of male parent ‘P-1972’.

FIG. 3A shows a ‘Mayan Gold-03’ leaf.

FIG. 3B shows a ‘Dole-14’ leaf.

FIG. 3C shows a ‘P-1972’ leaf.

FIG. 4A shows a leaf tip of ‘Mayan Gold-03’.

FIG. 4B shows a leaf tip of ‘Dole-14’.

FIG. 4C shows a leaf tip of ‘P-1972’.

FIG. 5A shows a leaf margin of ‘Mayan Gold-03’.

FIG. 5B shows a leaf margin of ‘Dole-14’.

FIG. 5C shows a leaf margin of ‘P-1972’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

‘Dole-14’ was originally selected as an individual plant within asegregating population produced from seed from a cross carried out in1997 between ‘Mayan Gold 03’ and ‘P-1972’, and named ‘9700MC-03/02-003’.Testing and selection of three consecutive asexual generations tookplace from 2002 through 2007, in Honduras-Central America.

Parental Description: The variety ‘Mayan Gold 03’or ‘MG-03’ was derivedfrom crossing Pineapple Research Institute of Hawaii hybrid clones58-1184 and 59-443. ‘Mayan Gold 03’, also known as ‘Tropical Gold’, is apopular commercial variety appreciated for its yellow and golden yellowshell and pulp color when ripen respectively. Regularly, leaf margins in‘Mayan Gold 03’ are devoid of spines; however spines may be present andtheir abundance and distribution may vary depending on the environmentalconditions. Fruit is mostly conical to cylindrical-sharp taper in shape,with a long conical and attractive crown, and weighing approximately 1.9Kg. The flesh in ‘Mayan Gold 03’ is smooth in texture, with small tointermediate amount of fiber, and with high content of vitamin C.Brix/Acid ratio ranges from 28°-35°, favoring a pleasant and mostlysweet flavor. ‘Mayan Gold 03’ is resistant to both FCR (Fruitlet CoreRot) caused by Fusarium moniliforme, and Blackheart, but it is highlysusceptible to root rot caused by Phytophtora cinnamomi.

The parental lines from which ‘P-1972’ was derived, included two clonespreviously developed by the Pineapple Research Institute, namely‘64-337’ and ‘59-443’. ‘P-1972’ has unique characteristics such asdistinctive fruit aroma and flavor, and deep yellow color of both shelland flesh due to high carotenoid content. The plant is characterized bylong spineless leaves with piping, pale to grayish green in color, withveins protruding from the leaf surface. The plant has a uniformcylindrical and symmetrical fruit with a smooth and thin shell and flatfruitlets or eyes. Fruit is borne on a short peduncle and the crown islong and conical, with an average weight of 1.5 Kg. Incidence of FCR andmarbling is low in ‘P-1972, and it shows high tolerance to NDF. Duringthe dry season when temperatures are high, the fruit may develop theshell cracking defect. ‘P-1972’ is a patented variety (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 16,396 P3).

This breeding effort aimed to produce a fresh fruit variety withpleasant and distinct aroma and flavor, tolerant to both prematureflowering and shell cracking, and with high shell color and highcarotenoid content in the pulp.

The development of the new variety started in Montecristo Farm, propertyof Standard Fruit de Honduras, located in the North coast of Honduras. Asegregating population was produced by cross-pollinating flowers of‘MG-03’ with pollen taken from plants of the variety ‘P-1972’ in 1997.The first plant selection was practiced in year 2000, and was named‘9700MC-03/02-003’. Genetic stability of this selection was evaluatedduring three consecutive asexual generations which took place from 2002through 2007.

Different methods of asexual propagation were used for varietymultiplication, i.e. stem cuttings, slips, suckers, gouging of fruitcrowns, and tissue culture derived plants.

‘Dole-14’ shows unique characteristics such as distinctive fruit aromaand flavor, a deep golden colored fruit pulp due to a high carotenoidcontent, and a conical shaped fruit with a conical crown. Conducive NDFconditions occurring during three consecutive winter seasons revealedthat the new pineapple hybrid ‘Dole-14’ is highly tolerant to naturalflowering. This new hybrid has also shown no susceptibility to shellcracking during the dry and hot season in Montecristo. The new varietyis stable and has reproduced true to type in three successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a description of the new plant variety based onobservations made prior to forcing in December of 2006 and October of2007, and at harvesting in May of 2007 and February of 2008, grown inMontecristo farm in Honduras (15 degrees 44 minutes latitude north, and86 degrees 53 minutes longitude west). The average temperature inMontecristo is 26° C., with 3,542-mm of annual average precipitation.The Munsell Color Chart was used for all color designations (“MunsellBook of Color” Gretag Macneth LLC, 617 Little Britain Road, New Windsor,New York 12553-6148).

-   Name: Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. Var. ‘Dole-14’, family Bromeliaceae,    subclass Monocotyledons.-   Parentage:    -   -   I. Seed parent.—Commercial variety ‘Mayan Gold 03’.        -   II. Pollen parent.—Patented variety ‘P-1972’.-   Classification:    -   -   I. Botanic.—Family: Bromeliaceae family Subfamily:            Bromeliacidae Genus: Ananas Species: comosus Cultivars:            ‘Mayan Gold 03’×‘P-1972’ (var. ‘Dole-14’).        -   II. Commercial.—Bromeliad fruit plant.-   General form: During the vegetative stage, ‘Dole-14’ has an    intermediate foliage attitude and consists of a compact rosette of    overlapping sessile leaves arising from a central stem and    surrounding a composite inflorescence prior anthesis. Production of    offshoots (suckers, hapas and slips) is very limited, but depending    on season slips may vary from 0 to 2.0±2.4 per plant. Plant height    may vary depending on growing conditions from 120±9.4 to 136±9.4 cm,    without fruit. Mean stem diameter ranges from 6.0±0.3 to 6.7±0.6 cm,    measured at the base at forcing time in a 2.7 Kg plant.-   Stems: stem is upright, sheathed by overlapping leaves arranged in    acropetal fashion, forming a heart shape stem. The stem color is    whitish (5Y 8/2 to 8/4).-   Leaves:    -   -   I. General.—leaves are sessile, lanceolate in form,            elongated and succulent, with acuminate apex shape, and            forming a rosette with a 5/13 phyllotaxy. Depending on            growing conditions, the number of leaves per plant may vary            from 41±4.6 to 57±5.9. The breakage resistance of the leaf            is medium, and foliage attitude is open (Descriptors for            Pineapple, IBPGR, Rome 1991). Trichomes are present in the            abaxial side of the leaves.        -   II. Color.—The color of the upper and lower surfaces of the            D leaf is green (5GY 5/6 to 5/10) and light green (5GY (7/6            to 7/10)) respectively.        -   III. Margins.—The leaves are completely spineless showing            the presence of piping, which is a narrow silvery (2.5GY            8/2) stripe extended over the adaxial surface along the leaf            edge. Margin color is green but slightly darker than the            middle section (5GY 5/8 to 5/10). Longest leaf thickness is            on average 2.2±0.3 mm at middle section.        -   IV. Leaf size.—Depending on growing conditions, measurements            taken on D leaf may vary from 110±7.8 to 120.4±7 cm in            length, and 5.9±0.4 to 6.3±0.6 cm in width at middle            section.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   I. General.—pineapple inflorescence of composite flower,            with self-incompatible individual bi-sexual flowers            containing three sepals (10.5±0.4 mm in length), six stamens            (15.6±0.8 mm in length), three stigmas (1.4±0.4 mm wide),            and three carpels (5.8±0.8 mm in width). The inflorescence            is borne in a long conical peduncle (21.5±3.7 cm in length,            and 2.6±0.3 cm in diameter at middle section). The number of            days to flowering after forcing is as follows: 47 days to            the presence of floral bud, and 59 days to first flower. The            inflorescence length mid flower stage is 10.9+/−0.5 cm. The            inflorescence diameter mid flower stage is 6.3+/−0.5 cm.        -   II. The penduncle bract has a lanceolate form. The average            number of peduncle bracts is 5+/−1.3, with a longest bract            length of 18.7+/−6.2 cm. The floral bract, which covers ⅓ of            the fruitlet, is of aristate apex and truncate base. The            floral bract width is 23-27 mm and has a smooth edge. The            floral bract color at the abaxial side of the tip is            brownish (5Y 7/10, 6/8, 5/6), and greenish at the base (5GY            7/8-6/18).        -   III. Petals are smooth with an oblong shape and a closed            orientation. Petals are 20.8±1.0 mm in length, and 6.5±0.6            mm in width. The petal number is 3. The apex is subacute and            the base is truncate. Petal color is white at the base and            deep purple at the tip (5RP 3/4 to 3/8).        -   IV. The sepals are smooth with an orbicular shape and are            10.5+/−0.4 mm in length. The apex is obtuse. The coloration            of both surfaces is greenish-green (5GY 5/10 to 6/10).-   Fruit:    -   -   I. Fruit shape.—The fruit is cone to cylinder shaped, with a            diameter of 13.2±0.6 cm at middle part. The shell is smooth            and thin (3.3±0.5 mm). The number of fruitlets is            101.5±10.2, averaging 7.6±1.1 spirals, and 13.4±1.2            fruitlets in the longest spiral. The coloration of the            fruitlet is yellow (2.5Y (8/8 to 8/10) & 7.5YR 7/10).        -   II. Fruit and crown average heights.—are 15.1±1.0 and            15.0±3.7 cm respectively for a fruit/crown ratio of 1.0.            Mean fruit weight is 1.7±0.2 Kg.        -   III. Crown characteristics.—The crown is conical in shape,            weighing 136.7±28.1 g. Leaf color is green (5GY 4/6, 4/8,            5/6). Leaves are spineless and smooth, with piping in leaf            margins.        -   IV. Flesh and juice characteristics (grade 5).—The flesh is            compact, dense, smooth texture with small amount of fibers            and distinct aroma. Core diameter is 2.4±0.2 cm. Flesh color            is orange-yellow to golden yellow (2.5Y 8/8, 8/10), and with            acceptable translucency appearance. Table 1 compares fruit            quality values for ‘Dole-14”, its progenitors, and other            known pineapple varieties or clones.        -   V. Peduncle.—fruit develops from the apical meristem of the            plant on a peduncle, usually 21.5±3.7 cm in length, and            2.6±0.3 cm in diameter. Approximately, 5.0±1.3 bracts can be            growing in a peduncle. The average length of the longest            bract is 18.7±6.2 cm.        -   VI. Table 2 compares the tolerance of ‘Dole-14’ and known            varieties to certain pests, diseases and other disorders.

TABLE 1 Comparison of internal fruit quality characteristics at maturitygrade 3, between ‘Dole-14’ and other known varieties/clones, underMontecristo farm conditions during 2007 growing season. Brix/ Caro-Ascorbic Pineapple Acid Acid tenoids Acid Variety Brix % Ratio (ppm)(mg/100 ml) ‘Dole-14’ Average 17.1° 0.57 31 10 43 Stdev. ± 1.6 0.1 6 310 ‘Tropical Gold’ Average 14.6° 0.69 22 7 44 Stdev. ± 1.4 0.2 6 3 15‘P-1972’ Average 14.3° 0.57 29 9 29 Stdev. ± 2.1 0.2 14 3 9 ‘MD-2’Average 14.4° 0.62 24 8 55 Stdev. ± 0.8 0.2 6 4 18 ‘Josapine’ Average17.6° 0.68 26 9 23 Stdev. ± 1.7 0.1 1 3 4 ‘Tainung-9’ Average 18.8° 0.5336 9 16 Stdev. ± 2.0 0.1 5 4 7 ‘Taboga’ Average 15.4° 0.65 24 1 28Stdev. ± 1.3 0.1 2 0 1 ‘Red Spanish’ Average 14.5° 0.74 22 2 5 Stdev. ±0.6 0.3 9 0.4 1 ‘McGregor’ Average 13.4° 1.15 12 5 17 Stdev. ± 1.1 0.021 0.4 4

TABLE 2 Tolerance comparisons of ‘Dole-14’ and known varieties tocertain pests, diseases, and other disorders when grown underMontecristo farm conditions. ‘Tropical ‘Mayan Condition ‘Dole-14’ Gold’‘P-1972’ Gold 01’ ‘Champaka’ Phytophtora moderate low moderate high highErwinia moderate low moderate high high Army worm low none low low lowMealybug low none low low low (pseudococcus ]brevipes) Natural Floweringhigh low high moderate moderate Translucency high low moderate moderatehigh Fruitlet Core Rot high high high high moderate Internal Brown Spothigh high high high low Fruit Cracking high high moderate high high OpenEye high high moderate high high Crown Defects high moderate high lowlow

1. A new and distinct variety of pineapple plant designated Dole-14’substantially as shown and described herein.